(14) Whereas new provisions for on-board diagnostics (OBD) should be introduced with a view to permitting an immediate detection of failure of anti-pollution vehicle equipment and thus allowing a significant upgrading of the maintenance of initial emissions performance on in-service vehicles through periodic or kerbside control; whereas, however, OBD are at a less developed stage for diesel vehicles and cannot be fitted on all such vehicles before 2005; whereas installing an on-board measurement system (OBM) or other systems to detect any faults by measuring individual pollutants emitted shall be permissible provided that the OBD syste ...[+++]m integrity is maintained; whereas in order for the Member States to ensure that vehicle owners meet their obligation to repair faults once they have been indicated, the distance travelled since the fault is indicated shall be recorded; whereas on-board diagnostics systems must offer unrestricted and standardised access; whereas motor vehicle manufacturers must provide the information required for the diagnosis, servicing or repair of the vehicle; whereas such access and such information are required to ensure that vehicles may be inspected, serviced and repaired without hindrance throughout the European Union, and that competition in the market for vehicle parts and repairs is not distorted to the disadvantage of part manufacturers, independent vehicle-part wholesalers, independent repair garages and consumers; whereas manufacturers of spare or retrofit parts will be obliged to make the parts they manufacture compatible with the on-board diagnostic system concerned with a view to fault-free operation assuring the user against malfunctions;